Can-opener.



N0.15,477. I -PATENTBD MAR.2o,1906.

` L. o. SHARP.

K GAN OPENER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1905.

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'nNrrEn YsrATES AlA'l-"EN'T OFF 4LEE O.V sHARP, OE OMAHA, NEBRASKA, AssIGNOR To AMERICAN OAN' COMPANY, OE NEW YORK,`N.

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.'

CAN-OPENER.-

. State of Nebraska, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Can-Openers, of which the followingis `a specification.

`can-opening keys. Y

The object of my invention is tov provide a simple vand inexpensive instrument which may be given away with each and every can, the same as has neretoforebeen thepracticein respect to the ordinary wire keys commonly furnished with key-opening or tongued tearing-strip cans and which will serve not only as a key for opening the can by winding the4 rip-strip thereon, butv also as a can-opener in case the rip-strip should break or run out in the winding voperation and which may also serve to open cans having no rip-strips or tongued tearing-strips'. In the` ordinary tongued tearing-strip cans such as are opened by wire keys heretofore in use it frequently happens that the rip-strip is only torn for a leaving the can only partially opened, and in such cases the ordinary wire keys afford no means for completing the opening ofthe can.

My invention consists in the' means I employ `and herein shown and described for practically accomplishing this object or result, and

more particularlyv specified 1n the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined. can-opener and lkey embodying my invention and showing the same partly -inserted through the'body of Off or run out in the can for use as a can-opener. f. "Fig, 2 is a similiar view illustrating the operation of the invention as a `key foropening the can by winding a tongued same. Fig. 3 is a similar -view `illustrating 'the operation of my combined can-opener and key in completing ythe operation of open-` ing the can aft'eithe rip-strip'has been broken theattempt to open the can by means of the gram vview 'illustrating` the operation of stamping outmy vcombined can-.o eners and keys from la strip of sheet-steel wlthout ma? v terial waste, it being one ofthe necessary conditlons for practically accomplishing there- Sult which is the object of my invention that i specieation of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 30, 1905., Serial No, 280,744'.

f that the ripfstrip key and the can thus opened, thes'ame as a sharp point b7,

tearing-strip around the rip-strip, Fig, 4 is a dia. Hthin v1t maybe appliedto Patented March 2o, 1906.

ythe-combined tool becapable of' being very cheaply manufactured, as otherwise it would be impractical .tolv furnish one with each can the same as is done with the ordinary wire keysheretofore-in use.

In the drawings, A represents asheetmetal can, and B 1s my combined can-opener My invention-relates tol can-openers and and key.

My' combined canopener and key is stamped out of thin sheet-steel and com`v prises a shank or handle portion b, furnished -with a slot b at its end adapted to receive the tonguev a of the rip-strip a of the can A, so

may be wound around the with the Vordinary vwire keys heretofore so generally and universally in use for this purpose. At its oppositel end my combination can-opener and key is furnished with a diagonally-extendingslot. b2, forming a cutting edge b3, and twoforks "b4 b5, the 'outer fork b5 having a rounded heel be and terminating in adapted to be readily inserted through the sheet metal of the can. The inner fork b4 has an angle flange or guide b5, preferably turned at right angles to the plane of the sheet-steel opener B and adapted to bear against the metal ofthe can in advance .of the point thereof engaged by the cutting edge when the device is used as a can.

opener' or cutting instrument for opening the can. The inner arm or fork b4 and its flange bs by its engagement with the can adjacent tothe point where the cutting is being done serves as a fulcrumwhen the implement B is given a rocking movement in the direction of its plane, and thus causes thecutting edge b3 to bedrawn across the sheet metal ofthe can `at ythe point'whereit being cut, and thus causes 1t to be readily severed.

As will be seen from Fig. 4, combined sheet-'steel can-opener may be readily `cut from sheet-steel without material waste, thus enabling the same to be readily and cheaply I.. I

manufactured and at very the c ost of the sheet-steel itself by the pound. My combined can-,opener and key being and flat maybe conveniently applied to eachcan and laid flat againsteither the top or bottom head of the can vand held in 'place' by pasting the label over it, or, ifpreferred,

t andk givingthe tongue a fold, t

slightcost over l 1.05 the can by lnserting the is usually done in the case of Wire keys heretofore in use. My improved can-opener and key being also flat in shape, its iat surface may be utilized to advantage, if desired, as a space for receiving brands, names, trademarks, or other advertising matter stamped thereon.

My improved can-opener and key may thus be' used like an ordinary key `for opening cans which are furnished With tearing-strips and also as an ordinary can-opener in opening cans having no tearing-strip or in which the tearing-strip breaks o and fails to open the can in the Winding operation.

1.- The sheet-steel combined can-opener and key herein shown and described, and comprising a handle or shank portion b, furnished with -a tongue-receiving slot b at one end, and provided at its other end With a diagonal slot forming two forks, the outer of which is Jfurnished With a cutting edge, a sharp point and rounded heel, and the inner of Which forks is provided With an anglelange to serve as a Julcrum, substantially as specified. f

2. A sheet-steel combined can-opener and key provided with a slot at one end to engage a tearing-strip tongue, and furnished at its other end with two forks separated by a diagonal slot, the outer fork having a cutting?r edge and the inner 'fork servingr as a fulcrum to engage the can, and cause the cutting edge on the other fork to be drawn across the stock as the device is given a rocking and for- Ward movement, substantially as speciiied.

3. A combination can-opener consisting of one piece of sheet-steel, provided at one end with a slot to engage a tearingstrip tongue, and provided at its other end with a narrow diagonally-slotted cutting edge terminating in a point adapted to be easily vforced through the sheet metal ol the can, said opener being; fulcrumed and disposed to operate at right angles to the can and by a slight rocking and f forward movement to sever the tin, substantially as specified.

LEE C. SHARP.

fitnesses z H. M. MUNDAY, EDMUND ADoooK. 

